​A recent report by comScore indicates we’re well past the mobile vs desktop tipping point - today more internet interactions take place on mobile devices. Every statistic points to mobile’s edge and rapidly approaching dominance. So it goes without saying, if your site performs poorly on mobile you’re losing conversions. »

There’s no such thing as holding steady in business. Every business will lose customers regardless of how good your service or product is - it’s simply unavoidable. Lost customers, or churn, is natural and part of doing business. So plan for it, monitor it, and try to correct the issues that lead to it when possible. »

​In Monty Python’s “The Meaning of Life” there’s a scene were a woman is having a baby. She’s surrounded by doctors and machines that go “ping” when she finally asks, “what should I do doctor?” To which the doc replies, “nothing, you’re not qualified.” It’s ironic and humorous... but poignant to my topic. Just because you’re a human doesn’t mean you’re an expert on human nature. In fact, most of us are rather lousy at understanding or recognizing what motivates us. We’re just not qualified. »

Before I delve too deeply, let me state clearly, I have a bit of a bias (maybe a hatred) of email signatures that include images. So this may be considered a bit of a rant. Also, so I'm clear, I'm not discussing email newsletters or email blasts - I'm talking about personal or corporate email signatures that most people include in their emails. »

​Small businesses come in all shapes and sizes. But regardless if they’re manufacturing a product, selling a service, or doing a little of both - most face similar problems, especially when it comes to marketing. Here are three problems we see commonly, along with possible solutions. »

Recently, when talking with a prospect starting a new business, they asked if they should invest in an 800 number. My quick answer, yes – unless you’re strictly serving your local community, an 800 number is an excellent option. It’s even better if you can customize it so it forms a catchy “tag line” such as 1-800-FLOWERS or similar. »

When you’re starting a business or launching a project finding the right partners can be critical to your success. You’ll carefully select business partners, manufacturing partners, suppliers, and even sales partners. But all too frequently the graphic design partner isn’t a partner at all. Instead, some fledgling companies outsource their branding and marketing to the lowest bidders - or worse, end up using crowd sourced providers or cycle through dozens of designers. »

Are you a plain vanilla type business? Or are you chocolate? Or something more muddled like Neapolitan? It might seem strange to conceive of your business having a flavor… but it can help you visualize or mentally taste how you stack up against the competition. »

Really, there’s not much to add to that single statement. Sales and marketing comes down to that single thought. Solve your customer’s problem. Where things go askew is when your prospect fails to recognize they have a problem you can solve, or when your solution isn’t a perfect fit. »

​It’s not really a novel idea. It’s not even clever. It’s simply truthful. Clickbait might get you clicks but sharing helpful and useful information will gain you an audience. Admit it, you’ve clicked on an interesting headline only to be disappointed instantly. You’ll likely never go back to that site, so they’ve wasted their crucial first impression. »